Friday, November 07, 2008 Drivers' training to be implemented in C. Luzon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Because of gruesome road accidents in the past few months in the region, the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is now more than determined for the implementation of the Drivers Education Training program to avert or at least minimize accidents on the road.
LTFRB Regional Director Robert Peig said this is the next best thing to equip drivers with the necessary skills needed in road safety.
"The program is closely being implemented in Manila but will soon find its way to our jurisdiction once funds are available," Peig said.
The said program is in coordination with the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP), together with Toyota Motor Philippines and the University of the Philippines Center for Transportation Studies (UP-NCTS). It involves basic driving tips, safety standards, and scientific driving procedures.
Top instructors would handle drivers and operators for three days. Erring drivers are also set to undergo such training on repeated offenses.
"We want to professionalize our ordinary public utility drivers to avoid causing damage and danger to passengers," Peig stressed.
The said program, once in effect outside of Manila, will be implemented in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog Regions.
Peig said initial implementation would include the selection of drivers from respective operators and associations in the province.
"We also need to consider that once the program is implemented, drivers would be deprived of three days regular work, so we need to implement the program alternately," he added.
Currently, the province alone has an estimated 25,000 units of passenger jeepneys with most of the number of vehicles are distributed among routes in urbanized towns and cities. (IOF)
